Conner laughed when I pulled his clothes off, gagging. "What did your grandma feed you?"
Was shit supposed to be that color? Or stink that bad coming from someone so tiny?
"No, don't touch."
Too late.
Grabbing his poop-infested hand, I wiped off Conners' fingers. "Not funny. We guys gotta stick together." When his bottom was cleaned, I, by the grace of God, managed to put the diaper on.
"Going by that big mound of wipes, I assume he's clean?"
Conner giggled. Again. We'd definitely have to have a chat about loyalty.
"He's fast." I picked him up, bouncing him just to hear that laugh again.
"They usually are." Mrs. Williams leaned against the doorframe, hands clasped together in front of her. "Thank you for coming."
"Yeah, certainly." Conner squirmed, and I moved him to the other side. "Mind if we talk?"
She rubbed her arms. "Sure." Her face beamed. "This little guy is probably hungry anyway." Conner reached out for his grandma. I hesitated before handing him over. Holding him felt right.
"I'll make us something to eat."
The kitchen consisted of organic vegetables, grass-fed beef, and other natural products.
"We tried everything," Tracy said, nodding to the shelf of fresh greens.
"I see that." After spreading out the bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese on the counter, I turned around. "Skillet?"
She pointed to the cabinet next to the stove.
"Thanks."
"Kellie had minor pains before you two were engaged."
The skillet dropped from my fingers. "What? She never said anything to me. I would have made her see someone."
Tracy strapped Conner in his highchair. "I know. At first, she didn't think anything of it."
The same helplessness threatened to surface again. "I was under the impression she was going back into treatment."
Conner tossed his cup of water on the floor. Picking it up, I washed the lid off before handing it back. By the time I'd walked to the stove, Conner had thrown it on the floor once more.
"He thinks it's a game."
Bending over, I picked up the cup, washed the lid off and handed it back. "He's got a good arm."
Conner gulped a long drink as I turned the stove on, adding strips of bacon to the skillet. The plastic cup bounced off the floor. Again!
Tracy patted my back. "Ignore him."
I glanced over at Conner, shoving animal crackers in his mouth. "Does he do this often?"
She smirked. "They all do it. Kids push boundaries, it's how they learn right and wrong." Tracy shrugged.
"Right. So, ah, Kellie's been sick for a while." The bacon sizzled, and I flipped the pieces over. "We make her go for more treatment. Shouldn't be hard."
She raised her chin. "Tristan, she has stage four cervical cancer that spread."
My hand froze above the skillet.
"She's tired, and I don't want to argue with my daughter."
Tracy held up her palms when I glanced over my shoulder. Removing the bacon, I added the strips to a paper plate, staying quiet.
"Kellie's a wonderful mother."
We turned to Conner. Though his face was caked with cookie mush, his dimpled grin brightened the moment. She placed his cup on the tray.
Looking heavenward, Mrs. Williams said, "We agreed to make the best of the time we have left with her." Her lip trembled, and she waved as if dismissing the promise of death. "We also want to be part of his life, even after–"
"Elle and I wouldn't keep him from you."
Conner tossed his drink across the kitchen where it landed on the table. He clapped.
Crinkles formed around her smiling eyes. "He's got an arm like his daddy."
Elle
"Elle, honey, there's an emergency at work. I'll have to leave first thing tomorrow morning."
I hated the torn look on Mom's face when she walked into the living room, depositing more of Tristan's tennis shoes in a box. The man had more than me.
"Mom, I'll be fine." I shrugged. "I graduated college without you, didn't I?"
She wrung her hands. "But you're dealing with a full plate. Conner and his dying mother, Kellie's parents, not to mention getting stuff ready for you and Tristan to move to a new state." She ticked off each detail on her fingers. "To tell you the truth, I'm proud of the courage and strength you've shown during all of this."
I glanced over my shoulder, smirking. "How'd you expect me to handle it?"
With the last extra blanket tossed in the box labeled miscellaneous stuff, I taped the top and bottom then shifted it to the corner with the other boxes ready to be moved.
"Not many other women would be as accepting after finding out the man they are supposed to marry has a baby with another woman."
Admittedly, it stung, but I couldn't change Tristan's past. "Mom." I flopped on the couch, exhausted from getting the rest of the house ready for the movers to come. "Kellie's changed. After talking with her, then meeting her son…" Conner's cute chubby cheeks and his adorable giggle filtered through my mind. "I'm not threatened by her. Not anymore." I scraped my bottom lip between my teeth, thinking of a way to explain. "If anything, I'm grateful for her."
"You're better than most." Mom shuffled through a maze of boxes and plopped on the couch beside me. "Tristan is a good man, and I'm happy you two found a way to be together." Her eyes clouded with worry. "You're my daughter." She clutched my hand. "It doesn't matter how old you are. I'll always worry about you. When you hurt, so do I, baby."
God, crying had become a new hobby. "Mom, knock it off."
"Elle, you love with everything you have. You bend over to make sure people are happy." Mom leveled her gaze with mine. "So when I ask how you are, I want the truth. There's no judgment."
On an exhale, my back fell into the cushions. "I didn't follow Tristan's parents so they could have a chance to bond with Conner and Kellie."
"Don't you know you're as much a part of his world as they are?"
I nodded. "I do and loving that kid is the easiest thing I've ever done." The damn floodgates wouldn't shut off. "What if Tristan decides, even though I know he loves me, what if he realizes he wants something else?"
"Oh, Elle." Mom hugged me, shushing me like when I'd had a nightmare as a little girl. "If there's anything I'm certain of, it's that boy loves you and would do anything to make you happy."
She was right, but self-doubt rang pretty loud at times.
Mom pulled back and smiled. "Feel better?"
"Marginally," I said, laughing a little. "The movers are scheduled to be here tomorrow. Once they've packed up the house, I told Tristan I'd head up." My breath released in a swoosh.
"So you'll be good if I leave?"
"Yeah, I think Tisha mentioned stopping by too."
"How's Alyssa?"
"Alyssa's doing really well, actually."
Mom nodded.
I wiped my hands on my legs. "I'm starved. How does pizza sound?"
"Like the best idea." Mom slapped my leg. "But we're going out instead."
Groaning, my joints creaked as I moved from the couch. "I haven't even showered, Mom."
She mumbled something on her way to the bedroom. When she appeared again, she'd thrown on a ball cap.
"Incognito, huh?"
"Stop complaining and meet me at the car."
Dinner out was a perfect idea. Since we'd arrived thirty minutes before closing time, we ate in quiet.
"Oh, Paul, do you remember him?"
Mom sipped her soda. "Yes, the one Alyssa was so hung up on before you two left for college."
Man, she didn't miss much. "Yeah, that's him. Anyway, he's in the military."
"Does Alyssa still talk to him?"
"I don't think so, but that's not important."
Mom shoved another breadstick in her mouth.
"So I told him what was going on with Conner and Kellie."
The corners of Mom's eyes crinkled. "
And?"
"He mentioned getting out in a few weeks, so I planned a surprise trip for Tristan." Slurping the rest of my water, I added, "Figured he could use someone to talk to."
"Tristan better realize just how great of a catch you are."
Stuffed and ready to retire for the night, I yawned. "I think he has a good idea." Glancing around the desolate area, I said, "Let's head home and pass out."
"Deal."
Once we were back home, Mom and I could barely keep our eyes open. "Mom, you can sleep in the room with me."
"Ha! Already planned on it." She fluffed the extra pillow.
The second our heads hit the mattress, we were out cold.
The next morning, my stiff neck and back, and every other muscle, hurt from lifting and cleaning. Stretching my arms over my head, the sweet smell of coffee drifted down to the bedroom. "Mom, I love you!" I hopped out of bed, jumping from foot to foot on the cold floor. She must have turned the air down.
In the living room, I jerked to a stop. "Um, Mom?" The movers weren't supposed to come over until noon. Surly I hadn't…? Had I?
"Honey, I'm glad you're up." Mom pushed a Styrofoam cup of coffee in my hand.
"What?" I looked around. The living room was empty, as was the dining area. "I thought they weren't coming until noon?" Frowning, I said, "And why didn't you wake me? What time is it?"
"Tristan made a few calls and got them to come early." Mom kissed my cheek, then tapped her watch. "Time to get on the road."
"You weren't going to wake me?"
Mom grabbed her purse and keys.
"And why in the hell didn't Tristan call me?"
She fastened the clasp on her watch.
Seriously? "Will you stop and talk to me for a second."
"Tristan called and you didn't wake up. I nearly killed your phone." She added a hand on her hip. "The movers were already on their way when he called."
Well, now I felt like an ass.
"He said to call when you're on the road, and to be careful."
"Miss?" a guy with a ponytail said. "All the rooms but yours are packed."
"Really?"
He nodded.
"Ah, give me five minutes?"
The guy whistled. "Guys, break time." He turned his attention back to me. "Let us know when you're ready."
"Yes, thank you." The coffee beckoned me and I sipped. "Mom, I wish you would've gotten me up."
She dismissed my concern with a toss of her hand. "You needed the rest." Mom pushed her purse strap up higher on her shoulder. "Call or text when you get in, and be careful."
"Promise." I hugged her. "You be careful, too." Mom's arms tightened around me. "And thank you for staying to help me pack up."
Mom cupped my cheek. "I'm your mom; it's what I do."
"Love you."
"Love you more," she replied on her way to the front door.
The next two hours I helped direct the remainder of our furniture out of the old house and sent it to our new address. Hard to believe Tristan would start rookie camp next week. With my personal suitcase packed and ready to head out, I detoured to see Alyssa. One final goodbye before I'd settle into my new life.
Before pulling up to her place, I called.
She answered on the first ring. "Please tell me you're not gone yet."
I smiled. "I'll be at your front door in about thirty seconds."
I clicked End.
As I stood outside my car door, Alyssa open the front door, waved, and sauntered over. "Nice of you to say goodbye." She smiled. "Don't forget, you can come home any time you want."
"Thanks." I sighed, my shoulders sagging.
"I still can't believe you're moving–and about to spend time with Tristan's ex-fiancée, whom he has a child with."
"Life happens, Alyssa. It's what we do with what we have that matters."
She bumped her hip into mine. "When did you start sounding so grown up?"
"Not sure." Only that wasn't true. Kellie, Conner, losing Heather and my baby all paved the way to adulthood.
"I love you." Alyssa never cried, but her eyes filled like the ocean.
"Love you, too." We hugged, and as per Alyssa's style, she pushed away before the moment got too mushy.
"Give that kid a kiss from Auntie Alyssa." She tapped a manicured nail on her lip. "He may need some new stuff. Send me your address when you get there. I need to shop."
Had to love Alyssa's complex way of saying she was on board with my new life plan. "I'll text you." Opening the door, I stepped into the car and waved my goodbye.
When I glanced in my rearview mirror, Alyssa stood in the same spot, tears flowing freely.
∞ ∞ ∞
"Free Fallin'" and a ton of other old tunes kept me alert on my drive to Kellie's place.
Tristan called in the middle of the song to give me an update. "She's better and we've moved her to the house. Conner was a little fussy, so he's staying with me at a hotel."
"Wow, how's that going?"
"Hell. I didn't sleep but a few hours last night."
"Oh, poor guy."
"Tell me about it. I'm sleep deprived."
"Aww, honey, I'm not talking about you. I was referring to Conner. Is he not sleeping?"
"Ah, no. The kid sleeps better than I do."
I laughed. "Then what's the problem, Dad?"
"I'm afraid he'll cry and I won't wake up to hear him."
Butterflies fluttered in my chest. "Well, I'll be there in about an hour."
"Good. Meet us at Kellie's."
"Okay, bye. Love you."
After an hour exactly, my pulse beat loudly in my ears when I stepped out of my car and headed up the walkway to Kellie's house. Voices grew louder the closer I got to the door.
My knuckles smarted the second time I knocked on the door. Finally, I walked inside uninvited. Voices drifted down the hallway and I followed the sound. Tristan stood against one wall in Kellie's bedroom while Kellie's mom huddled next to her with Conner in her arms.
"She's not well enough to leave. All of her doctors are here. She has medicine to take at a certain time every day. She knows no one in New Orleans."
Kellie glanced up when I quietly stepped into the room, and we stared at one another.
"I'll see that she's taken care of, Tracy," Tristan pitched in.
"You can't take her away from me." Venom laced Kellie's mom's tone.
I'd walked into the conversation late, but the pressing urgency to butt in was overwhelming.
"I'll stay," I blurted.
They both looked at me.
"Tristan, you can't move her, as much as you want to. If you want a career playing football, you have to leave tomorrow." My attention turned to Kellie and her mom. "I'd love to be here with you, Kellie, if you'll have me."
Conner laughed, and Kellie directed her attention to her son. "I think this one likes the idea."
"Kellie, please, rethink–"
"No, Mom. Elle is moving in with us." She and her mom entered a stare off. "Please, let me do this my way."
Kellie's mom covered her mouth, nodding, and left the room, taking Conner with her.
After a long beat, Kellie said, "Tristan, you were right, I get the dramatics from Mom."
His forehead creased. "Kellie, is this what you want?"
She paused, licking her dry lips. "It really is."
"All right, then." Tristan hung an arm around us. "Two of my girls in one house."
"Some things never change." Kellie shoved him away, and Tristan pulled me to him.
Whispering in my ear, he said, "You don't have to do this, you know that, right?"
I beamed up at him. "I want to. I want to tell Conner all about his Mom." We shared a silent moment, both of us lost in the other.
"Tristan, you'll visit on weekends, right?" Kellie tossed her wig on the dresser, covering her head with a lavender scarf that made the color of her brown eyes pop.
"Trying to get rid of me so soon?" He winked, and I did
n't miss the blush rising up her cheeks.
"Elle and I are in serious need of girl time."
Tristan groaned.
"Oh, now this I can't wait for," I said, squeezing his middle.
Conner's cries from his room broke up the banter.
"I'm gonna get him so I can say bye before we head out." Tristan planted a kiss on my forehead.
When Tristan left the room, I turned to Kellie. "Really, is this what you want? Maybe your mom was right. You should spend time with your family, not me."
She reached for my hand and when I gave it, she said, "You're family, too, Elle."
Elle
Two months later Kellie passed away.
"Elle, you about ready?" I stood in front of the mirror and patted down the same black dress I wore to Heather's funeral. The difference was I smiled. A conversation Kellie and I had a couple of weeks ago while trying on clothes came to mind:
"Elle, your legs are amazing." Kellie shook her head. "Yup. I can totally see why Tristan chose you."
I gawked, then said, "You out do me in the chest area." I glanced down at my c-cup chest. "These babies aren't as great as yours."
"Hmm." She tapped a slim finger against her lips. "True."
We talked like friends in the beginning of my stay with her, and by the end, we loved like sisters.
Blinking, I shifted from the memory and answered Tristan. "Yeah, I'm ready."
"Can't seem to get this damn tie right. You mind?"
"Sure." I moved his hands away. "How are you?"
His tense expression shifted from the tie to me. "Don't know. I feel like everything happened so fast." Tristan cupped my face, his gaze steady with mine. "Throughout everything, you've been my rock."
His warmth poured into me. "Oh. Mom texted me a few minutes ago. She’s had a flat tire."
"Do I need to call Dad for help?"
I shook my head. "They followed Mom. Your dad is changing it now, but they’ll won’t make it in time for the service."
I frowned. "We should probably head up there in case Conner is fussy. I don't want Kellie's parents to worry about him during the service. He's still getting over a cold."
Interception (Distraction #3) Page 23